Lily Nymphadora Potter never was one to cry.

Or to show that she wasn't calm in any way, really. She knew her husband and three children counted on her to be their rock. And, in many ways, she was.

When her husband lost his first job because of an unfortunate incident involving a pair of socks and eBay, she was his there for him.

When her eldest daughter, Hermione, came home crying after breaking up with her first boyfriend as a small ten-year-old, she held her and told her there were more fish in the sea.

When her son, Arthur, was robbed of his pants (which seemed to happen quite often), she always had a pair on hand.

And when her younger daughter, Antimony, crashed her broom when she was nine, she gathered up the pieces and went to buy her a new one.

Because that's what mothers do. They stand by their families, no matter what, and thanklessly do the job they love.

But what no one ever thinks of, while they are being held in the arms of their respective mothers, is that maybe their mother needs a rock, too.

Lily had only cried three times in the last decade.

First, when Antimony had been accepted to the Holywood Harpies, the all witches Quidditch team.

Second, when Hermione had married that lovely boy…good old what's-his-name…

And third, when her parents had died.

In fact, she had done a lot of crying since they died. At their funeral, at Ron and Hermione's funeral, when she saw them, peacefully lying in their bed, dead as doornails…

Despite the waterworks, however, she hadn't really realized they were dead until something big happened.

Hermione was pregnant!

She was so proud! Another beautiful little person would soon be brought into the world. She sat down and wrote letters to everyone she knew, spreading the good news. She put them in their envelopes and sent them away with owls. And promptly forgot about them.

Two days later, the owls came back. Two of them hooted and fly towards her, bearing two unopened letters. She wondered, who were they from? They had already gotten some replies, congratulating her on becoming a grandmother. But these letters looked familiar…

The owls dropped them at her feet. She picked them up and turned them over to see who they where for…

…and saw in her own loopy handwriting, To Mum and Dad, and, To Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron.

It finally hit her. They would never see the baby, never see any of their grandkids, never hug her again, never talk to her again at all. She wept, and knew that they would never be back.

Up in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ginny were weeping, too. But theirs were tears of joy. There were having great-grandchildren! One of the happiest days of their after lives, they smiled through the tears and went to tell Ron, Hermione, and everyone else they could find. Mrs. Weasly, especially would be overjoyed to become a great-great-grandmother.

No, Lily never was one to cry. But sometimes, it's all you can do.

(Sorry this took so long. I strayed from Fanfiction, and then I finally wrote it, but I saved it in the wrong folder, and then I lost it...story of my life, right? But it was pretty good, I think. This was just to show how people on earth are doing without the trio plus Ginny. If you like this story, you should read my others (knows she is self-advertising, but doesn't care). They're good too! I just had to use Hermione's name. And Antimony, too. Gunnerkrigg Court, anyone? Ah well. I'll try to update sooner, but this just sorta popped into my head about twenty minutes ago, and I'm not sure I'll have another good idea. Review, please! Also? No flames! Please!)